Purity: Recommended Ghusls (Ritual Baths)

Practical Laws of Islam as per the teachings of Ayatullah Sistani

Ruling 633:

In the sacred law of Islam, there are many recommended ghusls, including:

1. The Friday ghusl. The time for performing this ghusl is from ṣubḥ prayers until sunset, and it is better to perform it near ẓuhr. If a person does not perform it until after ẓuhr, it is better that he perform it before sunset without specifying an intention of adāʾ or qaḍāʾ [i.e. without specifying whether it is being performed within its prescribed time or not]. If a person does not perform this ghusl [before sunset] on Friday, it is recommended that he perform it as qaḍāʾ on Friday evening or before sunset on Saturday. If someone knows that he will not procure water on Friday, he can perform this ghusl on Thursday or the night before Friday with the intention of rajāʾ. When one performs this ghusl, it is recommended that he say:

أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيْكَ لَهُ، وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُوْلُهُ، اَللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ، وَٱجْعَلْنِيْ مِنَ التَّوَّابِيْنَ وَٱجْعَلْنِيْ مِنَ الْمُتَطَهِّرِيْنَ

ashhadu an lā ilāha illal lāhu waḥdahu lā sharīka lah, wa anna muḥammadan ʿabduhu wa rasūluh, allāhumma ṣalli ʿalā muḥammadin wa āli muḥammad, wajʿalnī minat tawwābīna wajʿalnī minal mutaṭahhirīn

I testify that there is no god but Allah, He alone; and I testify that Muḥammad is His servant and His messenger. O Allah! Bless Muḥammad and the progeny of Muḥammad. Make me of those who often repent and make me of those who purify themselves.

2–7. The ghusl for the night of the 1st, 17th, 19th, 21st, 23rd, and 24th of the month of Ramadan;

8–9. The ghusl for the day of Eid al-Fiṭr[¹] and Eid al-Aḍḥā.[²] The time for performing these ghusls is from ṣubḥ prayers until sunset, and it is better to perform them before the Eid prayers;

10–11. The ghusl for the day of the 8th and 9th of Dhū al-Ḥijjah,[³] and it is better to perform the ghusl on the day of the 9th at the time of ẓuhr prayers;

12. The ghusl of someone who has touched a corpse after it has been given ghusl;

13. The ghusl for iḥrām;

14. The ghusl for entering the sacred precinct (ḥaram) of Mecca;

15. The ghusl for entering Mecca;

16. The ghusl for visiting the Kaʿbah;

17. The ghusl for entering the Kaʿbah;

18. The ghusl for slaughtering a camel (naḥr) and for slaughtering an animal (dhabḥ);

19. The ghusl for shaving one’s hair (ḥalq);

20. The ghusl for entering the ḥaram of Medina;

21. The ghusl for entering Medina;

22. The ghusl for bidding farewell to the holy grave of Prophet Muḥammad (Ṣ);

23. The ghusl for mubāhalah (mutual imprecation) with an opponent;

24. The ghusl for the ṣalāh of istikhārah (the practice of seeking from Allah the best choice between two or more options);

25. The ghusl for the ṣalāh of istisqāʾ (invocation for rain).

-Ayatullah Sistani, Practical Laws of Islam, Purification (Taharah)

1. The 1st of Shawwāl.

2. The 10th of Dhū al-Ḥijjah.

3. These days are known as the days of Tarwiyah and ʿArafah.